The document summarizes a study that assessed staff engagement at the Regional Directorate of Health Services in Mannar, Sri Lanka using the Friends and Family test. The test was administered to 58 office staff, excluding managers. Most staff reported they would continue serving at RDHS Mannar and recommend friends/family to work there, due to factors like workload, colleague support, and superior support. Staff engagement was highest among planning/biomedical/maintenance units and preventive health units. The study concluded that overall staff engagement at RDHS Mannar is relatively high, though it varies between units.

1. Engagement of office staff at Regional
Directorate of Health Services, Mannar:
Assessment using Friends and Family
test (FFT)
Venoden, D.1 Thileepan, P.2 Rahulan, K.3 Nivethini V4
Regional Director of Health Services, Mannar
Medical Superintendent, BH, Kayts
Director, DGH Kilinochchi
Registrar in Medicine, National Hospital of Sri Lanka

2. Introduction
 Staff engagement is the emotional commitment of the
staff towards the organizations and its’ goals1
 In the health sector, staff engagement includes staff
involvement in decision making, communication of
decisions derived, and maintaining and enhancing the
morale and confidence of the staff2
 All these are essential to produce favorable staff, patient,
and organizational outcomes3

3. Introduction
 Nation Health Service (NHS) assesses staff engagement
using the Friends and Family test4
 It is a simple tool contains few questions on staff
willingness to retain in the organization and recommend
their families and friends to serve in the organization
based on various factors
 Regional Directorate of Health Services (RDHS) Mannar
provides healthcare services to more than 150 000
population

4. Objective
 To describe the office staff engagement at RDHS, Mannar

5. Methods
 This cross-sectional study was carried out at RDHS office
Mannar among all office staff excluding the managers
(n=58) as the tool includes assessment of managers’
contribution to staff engagement
 Friends and family test was done using the NHS
questionnaire modified to the local set up
 Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS
version 21

6. Results
 Response rate was 74.1%
 Highest participation was from the Planning, Biomedical,
Maintenance and Vehicle Unit (n=12, 27.9%)

7. Results
 Based on the workload, support of the colleagues and
support of superiors 81.4 % (n=35), 83.7% (n=36) and 88.4%
(n=38) wish to continue their services at RDHS Mannar,
respectively
 According to workload, support of the colleagues and
support of superiors, 90.7% (n=39), 88.4% (n=38) and
88.4% (n=38) recommend their friends and family to work
at RDHS Mannar

8. Results – Continue to serve
Workload - 81.4 % (n=35) Support of the colleagues
- 83.7% (n=36)
Support of superiors -
88.4% (n=38)

9. Results – Recommend friends and
family to work at RDHS Mannar
Workload - 90.7% (n=39) Support of the colleagues
- 88.4% (n=38)
Support of superiors -
88.4% (n=38)

10. Results
 Staff engagement was highest in the both Planning,
Biomedical, Maintenance and Vehicle Unit and the
Preventive Health Unit categories (mean = 4.57), and
lowest in the Salary, Finance and Procurement Unit
category (mean = 3.93)

11. FFT – Staff opinion and suggestions

12. Conclusion
Staff engagement at RDHS Mannar is relatively high although
though variation between the units does exist
Keywords: Health Services, Staff engagement, Mannar,
RDHS, Friends and Family test

13. Reference
1. Kruse.K. What Is Employee Engagement.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver3a.html [Accessed on 20th
July 2020]
2. NHS Employers. Staff Engagement.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver.html [Accessed on 19th July
2020]
3. BMJ. What does staff engagement mean in the NHS and why is it important?.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver3a.html [Accessed on 18th
July 2020]
4. NHS. Friends and Family Test.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver3a.html [Accessed ON 21st
July 2020]
5. NHS. The Staff Friends and Family Test.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/cite2write/vancouver3a.html [Accessed 18th July
2020]